1. Field of the Invention
A motor vehicle clutch assist booster is hydraulically connected with the hydraulic suspension of the vehicle's seat. Specifically, hydraulic pressure is directed to the clutch booster when the normal source of fluid pressure to the clutch booster is below a minimum level. The seat suspension accumulator is the auxiliary source of hydraulic pressure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to use a clutch booster to assist in the operation of large clutches such as those used on agricultural tractors. With hydraulic assist the disengagement of the vehicle's transmission is much more easily accomplished. A specific type of clutch booster is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,079 assigned to the same assignee as is this invention and represents one type of clutch booster that could be used with this invention.
Typical clutch boosters receive hydraulic fluid under pressure from a primary source of fluid pressure that is most often a hydraulic pump. The hydraulic pump would be driven by the vehicle engine when the engine is running or by an engine driven component such as a transmission shaft. In most situations it is necessary to have the host vehicles engine running to generate sufficient hydraulic pressure to operate the hydraulic clutch.
It is also known to provide onboard hydraulic accumulators that will be capable of supplying a minimal quantity of hydraulic fluid under pressure to a vehicle hydraulic system--most typically a vehicle brake system--when there is an engine failure causing an inability of the engine to drive the hydraulic motor.
Some tractor vehicles have been provided with hydraulically suspended seat systems. The hydraulic aspects are directed to the seat elevation control and dampening of undulations of the seat to smooth out the ride experienced by the operator. A hydraulic fluid accumulator is used to provide a dampening chamber to assure that the seat is supplied with fluid necessary for a limited number of adjustments even when the tractor's hydraulic fluid pump is not running.
The Applicant does not know of any hydraulic clutch booster systems that utilize hydraulic fluid stored in a seat accumulator to supply hydraulic fluid under pressure to clutch booster when the engine is not running. The problem of not having a source of hydraulic fluid under pressure to assist in clutch booster operation is acute when starting the tractor. Without the hydraulic assist the operator has to disengage a very strong tractor clutch without the aid of power assist. This is difficult for all operators and this invention will be even more appreciated by the females now operating the modern cab equipped tractors. Since cabs have become more comfortable and convenient more females and adolescents can drive the tractors. The clutch booster assist on start-up will be especially appreciated by these drivers as well as drivers familiar with older equipment.